Improvement in automatic gas-light extinguishers



A. FULTONE Automatic Gas-Light Extinguisher.

Ne. 211,983. Patented Feb. 4.1879.-

ANDREW //z To/V,

W www N Zier/zeg UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW FULTON, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN AUTOMATIC GAS-LIGHT E XTINGUISHERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,983, dated February4, 18795 application tiled J annary 2, 1879.

To all 'whom it muy concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW FULTON, of the city and count-y of Albany andState ot' New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Extinguishers for Gas-Lights, of which the following is a fulland exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is averticalsection of my device, showing the arrangement of parts during theuninterrupted low of the gas; Fig. 2, the same with the parts inposition for preventing the tlow ot' gas; Fig. 3, a plan view of Fig. 2with the dome removed, and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are modiiications of myinvention.

My invention consists of apdevice for auto matically extinguishing thegas -lights and stopping the iiow of gas at each burner by in creasingthe pressure of the gas in the mains. For this purpose I place beneatheach burner (attached to its supply-pipe) a chamber containing a iioatimmersed in Quicksilver or other suitable liquid, attached to a movablestem carrying a mercury-cup or other sealing device, the whole beingadapted to operate by an increase ot' pressure beneath the loat toelevate the stem to close the openings for the liow of gas, and toretain the movable stem and its attached parts torprevent them fromdropping down to reopen the tiow of gas.

As shown in the drawings, Ais the metallic easing ot' the device,provided with a boss, a, at its bottom for attaching it in a. verticalposition to the gaspipe for .supplying the burner. At its lower end achamber, a1,is formed, so as to leave an annular space, a2, forcontaining mercury. A cap-plate, a3, screws upon the casing and formsits top. B is a movable tubular stem passing through openings in the topof the chamber a1 and the cap-plate a3.' To the lower end of said stemis secured a metallic cup, b, t'or containing mercury, into which anannular collar, a4, dependent from 'the top plate of the chamber al,dips when the stem is elevated, and forms a seal to prevent the flow ofgas into the tubular stem B. C is a bell or float secured to the stem B,and having the lower edge of its annular iange c immersed in the mercuryin the annular space a2 to prevent the escape of gas at that point,

D,acircular rack secured to the stem B above the cap-plate a3,- E,counter-weights, working on pivots e in the bearings a5 on the top ofthe casing, and provided with gear-teeth e', which engage in thecircular rack D. Said counter-weights should be made hollow, as shown inFig. 7, and illed with mercury or other heavy material whose weight canshift from end to end of the counter-weight as the position of thecounter-weight changes in turning on its pivotal centers. F is a dome orcap for protecting the mechanism of the device; G, a gas-burner, securedto the upper end ot the tubular stem B.

The opera-tion of my device is as follows: To light the gas the tubularstem must be de pressed. In doing this the counter-weights E areelevated, and the various parts are carried into the positions shown inFig. l, thereby permitting the gas to liow into the tubular stem Bthrough the induction-openings bl, as indicated by the crooked arrows,and thence into the gas-burner G. 'When the device is thus opened thegas will continue to iow through it as long as the pressure of the gasin the pipes is maintained at or below the pressure to which the deviceis regulated. When the pressure in the pipes is increased a likeincrease of pressure occurs beneath the float O, whereby the float isforced upward,

raising the stem B and its attached parts into y the positions shown inFig. 2. In doing this the counter-weights E are turned down, and theirload runs into their outer ends, causing the weights to exert theirgreatest torce, and maintaining the stem B in its elevated positionagainst any accidental depression of it. When the parts are in thepositions last described the cup bis raised, so that the mercury itcontains forms, with the dependent annular collar a4, a gas-tight sealthat entirely cuts off the tiow of gas to the burner G and extinguishesthe light. While the gas flows through the tubular stem B it (the gas)passes through the outlet-openings b2 and exerts its pressure beneaththe loat C, whose lower edge is sealed by the mercury in the annularspace a2.

When the parts are arranged in position for the flow of gas thecounter-weights E are in an erect position, or nearly so, as shown inFig. 1. YVhile in that position their shifting` load is thrown close totheir pivotal centers,therebylessenin g the effect of the weights, andso nicely balancing the weights of the opposing' parts that a slightincrease of pressure will throw the counter-weights over.

The regulation ot' my device for operating at a lower pressure iseffected by increasing the load in the counter weights, and foroperating at an increase of pressure by placing mercury, shot, or othersuitable weights on the top of the ioat C, which is made dishing forthat purpose, nand the cap a3 is provided with openings ab' for theintroduction of such weights.

The increase of the pressure in the mains (which maybe effected at thegas-works) only requires to be of a very brief duration to produce theproper effect on my device. W'hen the pressure of the gas is againreduced to its standard, the stem and its attached parts are preventedby the resistance ofthe counterweights `E from dropping down to reopenthe tlow of gas, thereby averting all danger of any accidental escape ofgas through the apparatus.

In the modilication shown in Fig. 4 the cup b is fixed near the top ofthe stem B, through which the gas tlows at alltimes into the cha-n1- berof the casing A. An independent tube, H, for receiving the burner, isfixed in the cap a3 of the casing. The lower end of said tube projectsdownward into the chamber of the casing, and enters the mercury in thecup b when the stem is elevated bythe pressure of the gas, therebysealing the end of the tube, to prevent the tiow of gas to the burner.

In Fig. 5 the iioat G is provided with two annular anges, c and c',which are immersed in separate annular Aspaces containingsealing-liquid. Openings al are provided to admit the gas, so as toproduce a constant pressure beneath the float between the flanges c andc.

In Fig. 6 the stein B is made solid, and the cup b is attached to itslower end. The tloat C is made deeper to permit of the introduction ofthe Siphon-pipe I, through which the gas flows into the passage J, andthence through the pipe K to the burner. Vhen the stem B is forced upthe open or short end of the pipe I enters the mercury in the cup b andseals the said pipe against the tlow of gas through it.

It will readily be seen that in the modifica'- tions shown and describeda constant pressure of the gas is maintained beneath the float C, whilethe flow of gas is shut oft from the burner; but in the constructionshown in Figs. l and 2 on shutting oft' the flow of gas to the burnerthe float C is entirely relieved from the pressure of the gas; and whilemy invention embraces in its scope the described modifications, I preferthe construction first shown and described herein.

I claim as my invention- 1. The casing A, provided with an annularspace, al,for containing mercury or other' sealing-liquid, incombination with a movable stem, B, provided with a float, C, forraising said stein, as herein described, and a mercurycup, b, or othersealing device, adapted to be raised by and with the stem B, as and forthe purpose herein speciied.

2. An automat-ic gas -light extinguisher adapted to shut oli' the How ofgas to the burner by increasing the pressure of the gas in the mains orpipes, consisting of a chamber, A, provided with a sealing-chamber, asherein described, a movable stem, B, carrying a sealing-cup, b, float C,and rack D, in combination with one or more counter-weights, E,essentially as herein specified.

3. In au automatic gas-light extinguisher, the combination, with amovable stem, B, carrying a cup, b, containing mercury or othersealing-liquid, and a oat, C, of the collar a4, adapted to enter thesealing-liquid in the cup b when the stem B is raised, as hereinspecified.

4. In an automatic gas-light extinguisher operated by increasing thepressure of the gas in the mains or pipes, the combination, with acasing, A, of the mechanism, substantially as herein described, forimparting motion to a movable stein carrying a sealing device forshutting oft' the flow of gas, and the mechanism, substantially asdescribed, for retaining the movable stem in position to prevent thereopening of the ow of gas, as herein specified.

5. The combination, with the movable stem of a gas-light extinguisher,of one or more counter-weights, E, adapted t0 retain said stem in itselevated position, as and for the purpose specified.

ANDREW FULTON.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. Low7 E. F. BENHAM.

